Bridge
by Tiger.Bya
Summary: Gaara/Matsuri. "I said," he stated clearly, walking ahead, "that you'll be spending the night with me." Gaara paused, looking over his shoulder. "Or do you have a problem with that?"


BACKSTORY: This was written in an RP setting on LiveJournal. A bunch of hoo-ha characters are dropped in this strange world, Venitia, where odd events occur. It is almost always nighttime out, and there are varied landmarks that do different stuff and shit. You just need to know a few key terms:  
**MAGIC DUST**: dust falls from the sky and turns people into foreign creatures for a time.  
**BRIDGE OF AFFECTION**: a bridge that has this affect on people that cross it: They feel "in love" with the person they cross it with.  
**"THE DOG"**: Another one of the roleplayers that Matsuri frequented with. Gaara doesn't like him in the least.  
Okay! Onto the pr0n, written by myself and Tiger5913. Tiger RPd Matsuri, and I, Gaara. Our writing styles are somewhat similar. Mine were the ones oozing with too much mush. I've made slight alterations and edits, so that perhaps it will be easier to read. I must warn you: high doses of luff, crack, and smex. I honestly cannot believe I've ever aided in the creation of something so cheesy. Rereading it, it was almost like a Ken Akamatsu manga...  
Please enjoy!

-_Bridge_-

Dinner was great, and the girl adored meeting all the other people - such unique characters from around many different parts of the universe! Now that she had her fill of food, she was beginning to grow a bit restless, and wanted to explore the vast areas of the exotic city. She had barely gotten to see a mere sliver of what Venice had to offer, and after growing up in Suna for all her life, she was eager to find out what the rest of the world could show.

Throughout the meal, Matsuri stayed close to her close friend and teacher - and secret crush as well, though she would hardly admit _that _to his face - and after the dessert dishes were taken away, she was ready to go out exploring. Beaming a smile at the others who sat around the table, she nodded politely and excused herself to leave the room, making a motion with her head, gesturing for Gaara to follow her. She knew that he was not terribly intuitive all the time, so she gently tugged on his arm as she strolled by him, and then she walked around to find a different room in the large dining hall, one that was a little more cozy and private.

"Matsuri?" Gaara could only guess what went on behind those mischievous eyes as she pulled him blindly through the building. He was sure that she was as aware of her surroundings as he was... which was not at all. Where could she possibly be taking him at this time of night?

Once the redhead had caught up to her pace, the young brunette flashed him a friendly smile and invited, "Gaara-sensei, I want to go look around the city. Will you come with me?"

In the beginning, Matsuri had been very shocked to see her teacher walking into the dining hall of the strange place, and she wondered how he had managed to stumble into Venice, like she did. Was it a mere coincidence that they had wound up in the same place, or was there some kind of mysterious force at work? Not that the girl believed in magic or anything of the sort, but no level of genjutsu was strong enough to create THIS big of an illusion...

Gaara regarded her with a certain weariness. But, no matter his hesitance or his want to just hole up in his hotel room alone, he couldn't very well refuse that face, could he?

"You aren't going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"But sensei, you wouldn't want your favorite student to walk around a strange city at night by herself, right?" She piped up with a soft smile that she hoped was winning enough to convince him. After training under Gaara for the last two years, the girl had gotten to know him a lot better, and she was well aware of his stoic, anti-social behavior. But despite his cool composure, he had been nothing but respectful - albeit coldly - to her, and because of their relationship, she had long since stopped fearing him.

He suppressed a sigh. "Lead the way, then." What else could he do? It was true that he couldn't allow a subordinate to roam foreign territory alone.

... Especially Matsuri.

"Okay!" Without even a second thought, she was so excited about exploring the brightly-lit city that she just grabbed a hold of Gaara's arm and gently tugged him toward the exit of the building - which had been helpfully pointed out by one of the others.

The first thing Matsuri noticed was the sharp clearness of the dark night sky, and when she inhaled in slight awe, cool air filled her lungs. The various lights around the city attracted the attention of her eyes, and she gazed about the place in silent wonder, admiring the scenery of such exotic beauty. She wondered what her sensei thought of it all, and the girl snuck a peek at him out of the corner of her eye to gauge his reaction. Her Gaara-sensei stood straight up and remained calmly composed, as if the sights did not impress him the least bit, but she still wanted to know...

"It... it sure is pretty here..." she breathed out in a soft, lilting kind of dreamy sigh.

Gaara glanced at her. Through his peripheral vision, he could see how obviously enamored she was with this city --admittedly, it _was_ quite nice-- and was able to ignore it respectfully until she sighed.

"... I suppose it is." He hoped she wouldn't give him that smile that did odd things to his chest. "Where are you taking me, Matsuri?"

"Um... I don't know," she admitted hesitantly, still a bit enchanted by the beauty of the city. So many lights! This place looked very different from Suna, indeed... she was used to a simple life, and it seemed that Venetia was brimming with technology and foreign delights. Matsuri gave the surrounding area a quick once-over, and immediately noticed the various buildings that lined up next to each other; there was also a bridge a short distance away, looking rather out of place with all the similar aspects of the city.

Gaara glanced around. They had met Uchiha Sasuke earlier, and if he was planning an ambush, he didn't want Matsuri in the middle of it. It was crucial that they kept moving.

The bridge over the river caught the girl's interest more than the endless lines of buildings along the sides of the city. She tilted her head and peered in the direction with blatant awe in her dark onyx eyes, and silently decided to head there first.

"A... a river? Wow, I've never seen a river running through the middle of a city before, Gaara-sensei... Let's go there!" Without waiting for his reply, Matsuri gently pulled Gaara toward the bridge, her hair bobbing lightly in the breeze.

Gaara let himself be pulled along. He didn't know why, but the closer he got to this bridge, the closer he wanted to be to his charge. In slight wonderment, he mused, _What is this place?_

"Wo-ow..." the slender brunette murmured in delight as she let go of Gaara's arm to run across the bridge, stopping toward the end to lean over the railing and peer at the water. As Matsuri stood there and quietly admired the water, a sudden sensation of warmth and deep affection filled her heart, causing her to gasp in surprise. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling a bit weakened, and then she stumbled backwards involuntarily, dizziness settling into her head. "Wh-what... what's going on...?"

Her dark eyes frantically searched for and locked onto the form of her red-haired sensei, and a split second later, she was overwhelmed by a powerful urge to run right up to him and fall into his arms... _G-Gaara-sensei...? I feel so... strange..._

The minute Gaara reached Matsuri, reaching out a hand to steady her, the moment his skin made contact with hers, something happened. Not only did he notice a suspicious dust falling from the sky, but also...

It was like he didn't have control of his actions. His thoughts were hazy, his sight blurring, and all he would see was her confused, flushed face, not nearly far enough away from his own. "Matsuri..." The logical part of his mind tried to convince him to tell her to get away-- these feelings would only get in the way of their plans, and they couldn't be hindered by something so frivolous as love-

Love? Where on earth did that come from... and why didn't he care as much as he should have?

"Don't get... too close to me... Matsuri," he breathed, his hands finding her arms, pulling her to a contradicting closeness.

What was happening to him?

The dust settled upon the dark brown strands of her hair, but the girl hardly noticed when she suddenly realized how close she was to her sensei... She felt his hands on her arms and jumped slightly, surprised at the contact - she knew that Gaara didn't like other people touching him and vice versa. In an attempt to steady herself, she clumsily tried to stop the sudden forward motion, but she ended up stumbling over a plank on the bridge and almost ran right into Gaara. Feeling embarrassed for her action, Matsuri timidly peered up and opened her mouth to apologize, when she was stunned speechless by the strange look reflecting within his light sea-green eyes...

"G-Gaara-sensei...?" She murmured softly as her heart started to beat faster, and unconsciously, she splayed her palms against the surface of his arms, gripping onto the redhead tightly for support...

His hands found themselves tunneling through her hair to rid the soft strands of the dust, but the intended motion was stalled halfway through. His eyes focused on hers as he felt himself draw her closer.

"Push me away," he murmured, his lips brushing lightly against her forehead.

The slender brunette blinked in confusion at his words, but she held onto him and jolted when she felt his hands sifting through her hair... What in the world? Since when did her sensei care about her hair...? As Gaara stroke the loose strands free of the dust, she blushed and ducked her head shyly, feeling a surge of emotions threatening to consume her inwardly. She had never felt so strongly toward him that for a few minutes, she was unable to move, paralyzed longer by the soft brush of his lips against her forehead. The girl was so surprised by the affectionate gestured that she silently wondered if she was dreaming... and if that was the case, she wanted to remain asleep for a very long time.

Her mouth was dry and Matsuri had to swallow several times before she could manage to utter aloud, "You... don't like to be close to me, Gaara-sensei...? I... I'd never push you away..."

A sound rumbled through his throat as he pushed her back lightly against the railing of the bridge.

"I know," he replied through gritted teeth, his lips sliding slowly down the bridge of her nose until their foreheads were touching. "I know."

Her breath caught in her throat as the girl followed the motion of his gentle, but insistent push, and regressed a couple of steps. Cool metal pressed against her back and Matsuri stiffened at the frigid touch, but she quickly forgot about that mild discomfort when his lips were gliding down her nose...

She shivered from the contact and found herself lifting her chin up, her eyes slowly drawing to a close as her hold on Gaara tightened a bit. _I-I don't know why he's acting this way, but... but I like it..._

There were so many things he wanted to say in this moment. So many things he needed to make sure of.

_Before something happens that we both regret, stop me._

_Why can't I stop myself?_

_How will be get home with our minds unfocused like this?_

_Won't this get in the way of our plans?_

_Why don't you stop me?_

_What is it about this place that makes me love you more?_

There were so many things he wanted to say... the same that he couldn't. He couldn't turn away. He couldn't advance. He could barely breathe. All he could do was wait for her...

If his head craned to the side and he leaned in just a little bit more, their lips would meet and the girl was afraid she might pass out if that happened... But Matsuri felt his hesitation and stopped herself from pursuing the kiss, pulling back a bit to gaze carefully at her sensei.

His face looked so... pensive. It didn't seem like he truly wanted to be right there in front of her, holding her closely...

A windy breeze blew by just then, causing Matsuri to shiver from the chilly temperature, and then she gingerly leaned forward to lay her cheek against his lean chest, seeking comfort in Gaara's warmth.

"Matsuri." She had shown her progression, or lack thereof. Now he knew that she was fighting it as well. "Let's go back. You'll need sleep."

The insomniac wasn't the least bit tired.

Reluctantly, the girl gave her sensei a slight nod and lowered her head to cover the longing in her eyes as Gaara stepped away from her.

Matsuri turned to glance at the large building that stood taller than all its surrounding neighbors, the residential dorm known as the House of Parliaments. She started to cross over the bridge again and proceed toward the site of interest, informing her red-haired companion as they walked along, "I... I need to pick out one of the rooms from the building that I was in when I first came here. Do you have a room yet, Gaara-sensei...?"

He followed at his own pace and nodded. "I made arrangements while you were with the dog," he said, looking away. "You'll be spending the night with me."

Matsuri had been casually strolling along with her mind occupied for the time being, but when she registered his words, she stopped right in her tracks. Not that the thought was so repugnant, but did he really just say that, or was she just wishing for it to be that way in her own mind...?

Casting her sensei a timid look, she murmured softly, "U-um, I'm sorry, Gaara-sensei, I don't think I heard you right... Where... Which room are you staying in...?"

Gaara nearly laughed when she turned that face on him. "I said," he stated clearly, walking ahead, "that you'll be spending the night with me."

He paused, looking over his shoulder. "Or do you have a problem with that?"

"O-okay..." she was about to ask what would the other Venetia inhabitants say if they saw them in the same room together, but then she realized that everyone was pretty much alone for the most part. There were no parents around to monitor their children's behavior, nor were there older brothers and sisters putting their foot down. Everyone in Venetia was truly independent and had to be responsible for him or herself during whatever duration of time they were stuck there. Matsuri really didn't see any reason to refuse her sensei's request - and truthfully, it made her feel better to have him nearby when she was in a foreign place and barely knew anyone.

And a thought occurred to the girl just then, "I-if the rooms don't have two beds... where will you sleep, Gaara-sensei?"

"I'll sleep with you." He thought on it a moment before turning to face his ward directly. "Unless you're uncomfortable."

He tried to make it sound like she had a choice, but even he was aware of the little amount of weight HER decision carried.

She blinked at his words, and nodded hesitantly as she figured there was no need to take his meaning at face-value. However, her sensei was certainly full of surprises that night... Maybe the strain of being away from home was getting to him? Although the young brunette couldn't deny that she was a bit enthralled in this change of behavior that he was showing... It was nice to get more attention from Gaara when he usually spent most of his time in his Kazakage office, too busy with his responsibilities to just casually be with her as often as she would've liked him to.

"That's... all right," she replied with a small smile and once again, looped her arm around his as the pair approached the tall residential building, "I trust you."

"I don't see why you wouldn't," he replied as they neared the building. "I'm your only familiar here. It would be wise of you to trust me."

"Of... of course," Matsuri assured him candidly, not wanting to explain the implication underlying her previous statement - sometimes, she was _glad_ her sensei wasn't exactly like other normal boys his age. The two stepped into the eerily-quiet main lobby and she gestured toward the stairs at the end of the short walkway, inquiring on their way over, "So, um, where's your room, Gaara-sensei?"

He brushed passed her for the stairs (there was no elevator; he had investigated earlier) and they climbed slowly to the second floor. They reached their room and Gaara unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal a modest room with a very large, very inviting looking bed to the far right-hand corner.

"They said that they have nightclothes in the closets," he said, walking in. He found a small desk by the large bed sat down, opening the single drawer and beginning to rifle through it. He heard the closet doors open, and moments later, a heavier door shut. It was probably the bathroom door.

Gaara suppressed a sigh, closing the drawer and making his way around the bed to the window. He pushed the thick, dark red curtain to the side with the back of his hand and gazed out on the city below.

_Not like Suna at all..._

_

* * *

_

As soon as she stepped into the room, the girl's eyes widened in surprise and pleasure after a quick glance around. The room looked very nice and well-stocked with the necessary supplies for a long stay... Did this mean they would be stuck in Venetia for a considerable amount of time? Even though Temari and Kankuro were perfectly capable of taking care of things in Suna, they would get worried if Gaara was missing for a longer period than scheduled. And this occurance was definitely _not _of the scheduled variety.

Sighing at the pensive thoughts, Matsuri tried to keep her mind off of her worries for a while and just concentrate on the present situation. Nodding in response to Gaara's calmly-stated information about there being clothes in the closets, she opened the nearest pair of doors and peered inside. After choosing a long nightgown of thin cotton material, she made a gesture to her sensei that indicated she was going to the bathroom. Clutching her nightwear in hand, Matsuri headed inside to use the shower.

Gaara closed his eyes pensively. He slowly let his thoughts drift away, and noticed offhandedly that Matsuri was bathing. He wondered briefly if she was the type of person to take long showers before casting the thought aside before it bordered something inappropriate. Now was definitely not the time for such thoughts.

The more he listened to the sound of the water, the more he felt like taking one himself. He definitely wanted to clean this odd, suspicious dust off of his person. It was starting to irritate his tail, and--

Tail.

Tail...

Tail?

Gaara's eyes widened.

TAIL???

It was definitely an appendage he hadn't had in Suna.

The Kazekage, becoming considerably smaller by the second, remembered that he wasn't the only one covered by the dust. He scrambled around the huge bed toward the bathroom. Jumping, he grabbed the doorknob and turned. Opening the door, he slid in.

"Matsuri!"

"Huh?" Hearing the sound of her sensei's voice calling out her name, the girl jumped in surprise and then, thinking he was in danger, she hurriedly yanked back the curtain, grabbing a towel as she hopped out.

She was just beginning to wrap the thick cotton material around her body when the door suddenly opened and Gaara burst inside, which made her gasp in shock. There was something considerably different about his form, and in her stunned state, Matsuri forgot to finish covering herself up with the towel. She just stood motionless and stared at the redhead before her, who appeared to have shrunken somewhat, and a... what was the thing behind him...?

Was that a... tail sticking out from his rear end?!

"Are you a-- ahh..." his words were lost to the steamy air as he realized just exactly what he'd done-- what he'd come in on.

Gaara suddenly felt very flushed... and very dizzy. Matsuri's state of dress (or lack thereof) definitely was _not _helping.

"G-Gaara-sensei!" She cried out in surprise and pointed at his tail dumbfoundedly, and blinked several times to make sure she wasn't just seeing things. "Y-you have a...!"

Her towel was still tightly gripped in her hand as the distracted girl took a few steps closer and craned her head to blatantly peer behind Gaara to get a closer look at his... tail.

"D-don't! Stop! Matsuri!" he cried, tripping over his new, tiny feet. As fate _would _have it, the boy fell backwards into a pile of discarded clothing. Seeing a small mess of white in his peripheral vision, he chose to ignore the fact that he was tangled in her undergarments.

"G-Gaara-sensei? Are you okay?" She cried out worriedly as her hand unconsciously released the hold that she had on the towel and the girl dashed forward to tend to her fallen sensei. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red when she noticed that the clean white underwear she wanted to change into was now hanging off of his ear... Quite a funny dilemma, really! Matsuri had to resist the urge to laugh at the adorable sight as she bent down to help untangle Gaara out of the mess of scattered clothing, her chest lingering near his face.

Gaara didn't know what to do.

He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. It was frighteningly similar to their interaction on the bridge, except this time, he was shrunk to nearly a sixth of his normal size, and she was completely naked and _touching him._

This was a situation he had never in his life thought would happen.

He'd never imagined this-- he couldn't even picture it as it was happening.

He really needed that towel between them.

"... T-to-" he managed in a squeak.

"What? What's wrong? Are you hurt, Gaara-sensei?" She asked him with concern in her voice, especially when his eyes widened in what seemed to be shock.

When she followed the direction of his gaze and realized where he was looking, her cheeks immediately flared up in a hot flash of heat.

"Ahhhh!" Matsuri shrieked in embarrassment, mentally wishing that a hole would suddenly open up in the ground so she could bury herself inside of it. She scampered back a few steps and grabbed the towel, hurriedly covering herself up as she turned her face away, unable to look directly at her sensei now.

Gaara covered his face with his two tiny hands, suppressing a moan. He needed to get in that shower. Now. Unfortunately, his legs were about the consistency of Jello.

Even though now probably wasn't the best time, he should probably ask Matsuri for help.

"Mat...suri..." he mumbled, lowering his hands from his face, "it's... hard to walk... would you mind..." he looked at the still-running shower.

At the sound of his voice, she slowly turned back and watched her changed sensei making a gesture toward the shower. Understanding his request, the slender brunette nodded, and then hesitantly approached him, keeping one hand tightly around her towel as she bent down to scoop him up in her free arm. She carefully set Gaara down onto the outer railing of the tub, and turned away as to not watch him strip before he inevitably entered the shower. After depositing him in that spot, she grabbed her nightgown and quickly left the bathroom, intending to hide in one of the spacious closets and change there.

Gaara slipped down the side of the shower, tossing his clothes over the side and dipping his head under the warm running water. Trails of the moist dust ran down his body, and he immediately felt himself grow. Facing the faucet fully, he ran a hand through damp hair.

Immediately, visions of Matsuri-- _all_ of Matsuri-- danced in front of his eyes. They widened, and he shut them tight, furiously trying to remove the image from his mind.

_Thinking inappropriate thoughts about your student is despicable,_ he told himself to no avail.

Looking down to cleanse the rest of him, he noticed with a grimace that _other_ parts of him had grown as well.

Wonderful. Just... wonderful.

* * *

Indeed, the girl had retreated to a closet and changed into her nightclothes there, and then tentatively creaked the door open as she peeked her head out. By the sounds of running water and the lack of his presence in the room, it was apparent that Gaara was still in the bathroom - thankfully. She breathed a sigh of relief, as she was feeling too embarrassed to face him at the moment, and then the girl quietly stepped out into the room. After tossing the towel over a nearby chair, she climbed into bed and huddled on one side of the large mattress, being sure to leave plenty of room for her sensei on the other side whenever he emerged and came to bed as well.

Matsuri closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, her body aching from the events that had taken place that day, but she just lied there quietly for some time, aimlessly listening to the sounds of running water as her red-haired friend continued his shower.

* * *

Gaara... didn't know what to do.

Sure, he knew what had happened-- years before, Kankurou and Temari had tag-teamed in laying down the law for him about this sort of situation. He wasn't completely ignorant to his blight. But when Kankurou had been about to explain how to be _rid_ of such complication, Temari had promptly knocked him out with the base of her fan.

Hence, Gaara didn't know what to do.

_Ignore it. It will go away._

He decided that that was the best method for now, turning the shower off and stepping out. The Kazekage grabbed a towel on the rack (fiercely ignoring the two piles of discarded clothing laying side by side on the tile floor), patted himself dry, wrapped it tightly around his waist, and slowly let the bathroom door open.

He was hit with the colder air of the room beyond and shivered once, tentatively stepping out. He breathed easy; Matsuri seemed to be sleeping.

The door creaked as it swung open, and the resting brunette froze at the noise, realizing that her sensei must have finished his shower by now - there was no longer any sounds of running water. Her heart pounded a bit faster as she heard footsteps approaching the bed, but she did not dare to move, or give any indication that she was awake. Matsuri lied still and held her breath, trying to ignore the burning mental curiosity that was urging her to lift her head up and look. She could not believe that Gaara had actually seen her naked... even though it was an accident... and at the mere reminder, her cheeks were immediately inflamed with hot embarrassment.

_G-Gaara-sensei, I... I'm sorry for being s-so clumsy..._

His back was turned on his student as he opened the closet doors to find nightclothes. His eyes searched the closet three times over-- the utterly empty closet.

"... Dammit!"

Why... WHY was this place out to get him tonight?!

Her ears perked up at his muttered curse, as the girl knew that her sensei rarely swore - only when he was upset. Feeling somewhat responsible for putting him in that state, Matsuri slowly drew back the covers and slid her legs out of bed. As she stood up, the redhead was just walking away from the closet, wearing only a towel around his waist, his wet muscles gleaming under the light from overhead. She stared at him for a full moment, feeling her mouth go dry at the sight of his bare back, and then after snapping out of her daze, the girl gingerly approached Gaara in a shy manner.

"...Gaara-sensei? Are... are you okay?"

Gaara immediately drew back, wondering how he could keep facing away from her to better not reveal his _little problem_ and still not come across as completely rude. So he stood in an awkward position, hips facing away as his torso twisted to face her. He took momentary note of the oddly familiar-looking bears printed on her nightgown.

"I'm fine," he replied, regarding her carefully, hoping that she wouldn't somehow see what she'd done to him.

"...Are you sure?" Her voice was tinged with a sliver of disbelief as she noticed that he had his body twisted in a strange position. Was he in pain? Honestly, she had thought that after they had been friends for so long, he would stop hiding his problems from her.

Determined to find out what was wrong, Matsuri stepped forward and took a firm hold of his arm, turning him around so she could meet his eyes. "Let me help you, Gaara-sensei. Please... don't shut me out."

Gaara's body seemed to act of its own accord after her fingers touched his skin. It was the same reaction that he had gotten on that bridge-- like Matsuri was the only thing reaching his senses. In a second, he had her back against the closed closet door, his mind frantically scrambling for control as he pressed himself against her as well.

"I _said_ I'm _fine_," he ground out, his fists clenching against the wall at the sides of her shoulders. _Don't touch her, don't touch her, don't touch her..._

"Omf!" She gasped softly in surprise, moving with the motion of the throw, and before she realized what had happened, her back was against the door while the redhead was right in front of her, his moist, naked chest wetting her nightgown as he pressed into her.

Matsuri shook the brief daze out of her head and looked up to discover that her sensei was right before her face, his light sea-green eyes staring intensely into her dark pair. He was very, very close... so close that his hot breath was fanning against her skin, making the girl shiver at the intimate proximity. She was about to open her mouth and say something, when she suddenly acknowledged a foreign feeling of... a hard presence pressed against her thigh. Unsure of what that was, the girl wanted to look down and see, but she could not bring herself to turn away from Gaara, and her heart was pounding frantically, echoing in her ears...

He was there, against her, with her, and she just stared back at him. _Stared back._ He couldn't do this... what was it he couldn't do again? Where was his logic supposed to take him?

"What are you going to do, Matsuri?"

He couldn't help it. He touched her.

"G-Gaara-sensei..." she uttered softly, feeling helplessly entranced by the heated blaze in his eyes.

She jolted upon feeling his hand sliding down the side of her body to settle at her waist, gripping her tightly, possessively, as if he wanted her all to himself.

"What... what's bothering you...?" The girl inquired breathlessly, her head beginning to swim in a dizzy haze as every sensitive nerve in her trembling form pleaded for him to continue touching her... "I... I want to help you..."

Somewhere deep inside, Gaara knew that he should have known this was coming. For so long, he had tried not to specify what she was to him. He'd tried to ignore his siblings' jibes, because to confirm or deny such feelings would mean a critical turning point in their lives, something he wasn't sure he wanted to happen.

Right now, he was confirming.

"I don't think you're aware of what that entails right now, Matsuri," he replied lowly, pulling her from the door and instead close to him.

He brought her toward him, and her head rested against his bare, lean chest, causing the brunette's cheeks to blush fervently. Matsuri tried to move her head so she could identify the strange hardness that was very close to her private region, but his grasp was firm and unyielding. Relenting, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her body, something she had wanted him to do for a long time.

After a long moment, Matsuri moved back just enough to lift her chin and gazed up at Gaara, telling him with just a breath's distance separating them, "You... you know I'd give my life for you, Gaara-sensei. If... if you ever need something, and I can give it to you, I will..."

Gaara didn't mean to be rude as he cut her off by pressing his mouth to hers hotly-- it just _seemed_ like the right thing to do at the moment. He was sure she'd noticed his "problem" by now, and this definitely wasn't helping, but he was at a loss for what to do otherwise.

Somehow, he doubted that his legs could stand this anymore, and before he collapsed with the sheer liquid heat inside of him, he pulled Matsuri back with him until his knees buckled when they hit the edge of the bed.

His kiss was hot and insistent, and Matsuri instantly parted her lips in shock, allowing his tongue entrance into her mouth. Blood pounded loudly in her ears as she was stunned; by the time she had finally managed to recover and begin to return the kiss, Gaara was moving back and pulling her along with him.

His lips moved her overs with frantic need as they regressed together, somewhat overwhelming Matsuri with his heated intensity - she was helpless to succumb to him. Her breath was cut short as they leaned over and collapsed atop the bed, the girl falling on top of him with a gasp of concern. She retracted a bit and raised herself up on her elbows, looking down at the redhead from just a short distance above him, her head swimming as fervent pleasure slowly began to consume her senses from within. Her head tilted downward and she suddenly noticed that, in all their careless frolicking, his towel had shifted to the side and opened a little.

Her dark ebony eyes widened at the unfamiliar sight.

Gaara didn't even want to know what had her so surprised as he caught her by the lips again, reversing their positions in a fluid motion and breaking contact again, teal examining ink. She was flushed, and he found himself oddly pleased by this.

"Tell me," he breathed, fitting her soft, familiar, crimson face between his too-big hands, "when to stop."

She had to, because he obviously didn't know himself.

Her mind reeling from what she had just seen, Matsuri was barely fazed by the sudden switch in position, not uttering a single sound as she found her back lying upon the bed with the redhead hovering closely above her. She was trapped between her desire to be with the young man that she had cared about for the last few years, and the logical, reasoning part of her brain that urged the girl to stop before it was too late. Was she even sure that Gaara returned her feelings? Did she dare to ask? Their intimate embrace was escalating rapidly, but she made no effort to impede the progress, all too happy to be lying in his arms, watching the fire deep within his eyes that burned for her.

Caught in a tidal wave of emotions, Matsuri felt her breath catch as something lodged itself within her throat, rendering her unable to speak. She reached up with one hand and gingerly cupped his cheek, beaming a sweet, beautiful smile that she reserved only for Gaara. They stared at each other in silence, both parties rather inexperienced and feeling a bit uncertain of how to continue next. Finally, the girl closed her eyes and slipped her arms around the back of his neck, pulling the redhead toward her with gentle timidity.

"Am... am I dreaming...?" She whispered just before their lips were about to meet, after she finally found her voice again, although her tone was so low that her words were barely audible. _G-Gaara-sensei, I..._

She had made the move this time, knowing that it would only encourage him. Gaara would have smiled if he weren't in so much beautiful pain-- instead, when she kissed him, he felt his hips rock gently, almost unnoticeably into hers. Were they going too far? Or was this allowed?

Her nightgown was the only remaining barrier between them, as the girl vaguely acknowledged the towel rubbing against her legs, presumably slipping away more and more with each motion. As much as she wanted to just completely shut her mind off and give herself to him - her dearest friend, whom she secretly admired and wished would notice him for endless days and nights - she had to ask. That darned logical part of her brain would not allow the dazed brunette to continue without voicing one question that her heart was insistent on finding out. In the midst of her daze, Matsuri tried to focus on what she needed to ask, but found it a rather daunting task, as Gaara kept distracting her with his administrations, his tongue comfortably gliding around within her mouth as it slowly rubbed against her dormant one.

"G-Gaara-sensei..." she breathed softly when there was a brief pause in the short kisses that he continuously seared her lips with, "W-why... why now...? Did you... feel this way about me before...?"

His hand, traveling dangerously low on her waist, paused as her words sank in. Slowly. Painfully. He pulled back, trying to keep her gaze without letting her see how afraid he was that he had ruined one of his most precious relationships.

"I've been... confused," he admitted in a soft mumble. "I don't know why, but something here..." the Kazekage's heart beat nervously on, "Something here has made me feel _sure_." And finally telling her, indeed, made it so.

A sweet smile slowly spread over her lips at his words, and the brunette closed her eyes in acceptance as she gingerly allowed her hands to trickle down the length of his face. Her breath hitching in her throat, she guided them lower even further and lied her fingers against his muscular chest, the tips of her nails lightly dancing along the smooth plane of his skin. The girl felt far more nervous than she was expressing, but tried to stay calm even as she silently wondered if she was doing everything the right way. Did she please him? What did this mean for them? When they returned to Suna, would she and Gaara be... together? In the romantic sense? Did he want her to be his girlfriend?

She was distracted by those mental questions and vaguely acknowledged that his hands remained at her waist for some time, but soon, Matsuri felt them moving around to the front of her nightgown, and then his fingers began to fumble with the buttons.

His fingers made quick work of the first three, and that was enough for the time being. He caged her in his arms, his cheek brushing briefly against hers before his lips lowered to her jaw and downward. Their presence on her skin was soft and fleeting; he was holding back. He didn't want to scare her away. He wanted her to feel safe and at peace. He wanted her happiness. He just wanted... to make her _his_. If he was able to have something to call his and his alone all his life...

Matsuri would definitely be his first choice.

The skin of her collar bone was smooth, and he paused, his fingers pulling gently through her hair, down until his thumb fell over the flesh above her pulse point. Its rate made his eyes widen. "Matsu...ri.."

His utterance of her name in such a wistful tone made her pulse quicken even more, her heart beating so fast that she was sure she would faint after long. But she knew that if she did, he would be there to catch her in his arms and keep her securely tucked against the comforting presence of his lean body. In the past, he was always there when Matsuri had needed him the most.

If only she had the courage to tell him... _everything_... How much she had admired and adored Gaara for all the years ever since they first became friends, how her feelings for him had steadily grown as time passed by, and how green her eyes flashed whenever she heard one of his annoying air-headed fangirls professing their undying love for him.

But he cared about her, deeply enough to be with her in this intimate, private instance... surely he felt _something_ for her. Matsuri was uncertain of the extent of his feelings, but if he was fumbling through an emotion that he had not experienced before, then she would understand. The girl had enough emotions in her heart for the both of them.

She gently grasped a hold of the back of his neck and lifted her chin to shyly meet his lips once again. As heat steadily crept up in her body, the brunette began to move restlessly, and she was struck with a sudden desire to be out of her nightgown... it was just too hot to stay fully clothed... and she... she wanted to feel his hard chest against her naked skin...

He felt her body take a different tone-- impatient, maybe?-- and it just made it harder to control himself. It was so easy to let go with Matsuri. He was sure she would be his beautiful downfall.

Temari had told him very little about how females handled this... situation, and so he was very unsure. But the way she moved made him think that she could feel this delicious pain as well.

He slowly, so she could stop him if she felt the need to do so, began the rest of the button descent, taking the soft flesh of her ear gently between his teeth. "The offer still stands, you can still push me away," he said lowly, his unoccupied thumb running smoothly over her pulse point once more to the slope of her collar. "But not for much longer."

"No... don't leave," the brunette protested softly, and her heart skipped a beat when she felt his hands once again busying themselves in the front of her nightgown. She had almost lost him once before, when the rogue ninja came to Suna and took away the Kazekage, and ended up dying after Shukaku was forcibly extracted from his body. From that incident, Matsuri learned not to wait too long, and if the chance arose, she had to take it; if he was willing to be with her this night, then she would stay without question. She was unsure why her body felt so hot and an ache thudded in a lower area, but if she could give Gaara whatever it was he needed... his happiness would make her feel content.

Her dark ebony eyes searched his light-colored pupils at his somber words, and sensing his hesitation, she inquired timidly, "Don't you want to be with me... Gaara-sensei...? I'm not afraid..."

"I.." He hesitated, resting his forehead onto hers. "I won't leave you." He swallowed the _ever_ that almost escaped afterwords. She wasn't afraid. She incited these feelings... completely rearranged his life, threw his hormones topsy turvey, and drove him nearly mad with desire, and she _wasn't afraid._ Not of this monster.

Gaara pressed his lips against hers softly.

_I think I might love you, Matsuri._

The flushed brunette squirmed underneath him, her nerves consumed with liquid heat that made her restless, almost mad as she was unable to stay still. Just from her briefly moving around, the open folds of her nightgown had began to fall back upon the bed, baring her naked shoulders to his eyes. Her legs parted to allow her partner to rest more comfortably atop her, but the sudden feel of his hot hardness pressing _right there_ at her center drew a gasp of surprise from her pursued lips. Anxiety unfurled within the innocent girl, but she resisted the urge to shake and decided to completely place her trust in Gaara.

Gaara felt her shift, and at the result, his whole body surged with a new energy. He couldn't help it-- he had to feel it again. He rocked forward, careful not to crush her but just enough to know he needed more. Her body was hot and inviting, a little more than her shoulders bared to the moonlight.

As he pushed against her, Matsuri gasped at the action, and felt her body react of its own accord, instinctively arching up toward the attentive redhead. Timidly she glanced at him, seeing an utmost serious expression on his face, the tension that tightened his cheek muscles, and she silently wondered if she had accidentally caused Gaara some discomfort, but he said nothing to indicate so. Lolling her head back against the bed, she closed her eyes and submitted to his silent, urgent demands, no longer making a conscious effort to hide herself from him in shyness. She grasped both of his hands for support and brought them to her chest, where a mere few inches of cloth covered her breasts from his intense gaze.

Gaara hated to admit that he was the first one to make a noise. His desperation gave itself away vocally... pathetically. But he would save being ashamed for later; right now, he was too busy concentrating on not hurting her, on pleasing her, on trying to figure out what the _fuck_ he was supposed to do now.

He exhaled in a short gasp when she arched against him, and he instinctively met her, pushing back just enough until...

...the girl moaned softly and pink colored her cheeks as she continued the rhythmic motion, her grip on his hands firm as she held onto Gaara for support. She had very little knowledge on the subject of intimacy, and everything they were doing now was very new to her; she was literally diving into the unknown with the redhead. He seemed to be... rubbing directly against her private region, thrusting as if... as if he were trying to go... _inside_ of her...

The clothing barrier between them was a mixed blessing. On one hand, he felt as if he would suffocate if he remained confined to the cloth that kept him from Matsuri; yet, the cloth made it so that he didn't violate her completely. Did she have any idea how difficult she made it to keep even a sliver of his composure?

Gaara made himself stop, his heart beating in his throat, and he clenched the hands that held his. He had to ask, as humiliating as it was. Swallowing his pride, he breathed "... What do we do now?"

"I... I'm not sure..." she admitted softly, ducking her head in shyness as she fervently wished that her mother was still around to help her, or she at least had an older sister to ask for guidance. Back at home, some of her older girl friends had experiences with their boyfriends, but she never asked for information, and they figured she was uncomfortable with listening to the subject. Which she was; unfortunately, now that the girl was in such a situation, she did not know what to do, and by his recent question, it became apparent to her that Gaara was just as naive.

Matsuri swung her dark eyes back to glance at his face and asked timidly, "How... how do you feel...?"

He couldn't explain it. There was no way for him to describe the heat-- the _fire_-- pooling inside of him. He couldn't tell her that with every passing moment, he wanted more and more to be with her completely. He couldn't explain just why he wanted her to let him infiltrate her, and he was even ashamed of himself for such thoughts.

He couldn't tell her. But he could show her.

Slipping his hand from her grip, he slid it behind her neck, drawing her in to him for another kiss.

Matsuri responded to his kiss eagerly, overwhelmed by a sudden desire to feel his lips moving over hers, molding their mouths together in a hot, intimate union. His hardness continued to nudge at her core, and she was dimly aware of a strange... heated wetness gathering around that area, the presence confusing her, but not bringing her any trepidation.

With her heart pounding in a mixture of anxiety and excitement, she kept her eyes shut as she tugged on his free hand and brought it closer... boldly placing his palm upon her breast.

Gaara's breath hitched. His erection became even more pressing, and his thumb hooked the unbuttoned collar of her nightgown, tugging it over the expanse of her breast. She didn't flinch under his touch, and he traced his thumb over the bared skin. New, untouched flesh.

The Kazekage's mouth left hers once for breath, and then he was back, his teeth at her lips, one hand occupied with ridding her of her night clothes, and the other exploring inviting skin.

Her skin was smooth and tight, and he soon couldn't keep up with the way she kissed and moved her inexperienced body under his ignorant hands. It was a great comfort to know that they would be trying, failing, learning, thriving _together_.

Gaara lowered his lips onto her shoulder.

Somehow, this unfitting tryst was right enough for them.

The girl inhaled sharply when his hand cupped her breast, but her expression softened into a look of pleasure at the feel of his lean fingers kneading her soft skin. She made no protest as Gaara tugged her nightgown down to her waist, fully exposing her upper body, and now, she was almost as naked as her partner... only a pair of white undergarments shielded her private region from his eyes. The way he initially react to the sight of her newly-bared chest told her instantly that this was a first-time experience for him as well, which made her more comfortable and assured. Whatever would happen tonight, they were going to share this intimate experience together... ONLY with each other... she would be his forever, if he so desired...

Her fingers entangled themselves into the dark strands of his crimson hair, and then Matsuri gasped softly when he kissed her shoulder, his lips feeling delightfully ticklish as he lightly skimmed across her skin.

The reaction he'd incited from her with the kiss informed him of her sensitivity. He vaguely wondered where else she was sensitive-- where else she would find pleasure at his touch. He decided to find out.

Mumbling something incoherent to himself, Gaara slid his hands from Matsuri's neck downward, skimming over her chest, down her waist, across her toned stomach, to her hips. He held them there, moaning a curse when she moved up against him _there_. He grunted against her bare skin and fell against her as well. One rock together, two. The third was almost too much for the Kazekage. For a moment, his head fell above her shoulder, panting, his lips pressing against the slope of her neck.

He traced his way back from her hips, fingers clutching the blankets at the sides of her head for support. One moment, and he was back, propping her further up the bed while trailing kisses over her upper torso once more.

His hands were like fire upon her body, branding her skin with his mere touch, almost as if he was trying to claim all of her, just for him, and him alone. With excitement lighting up her nerves, her body refused to lay still, and so the girl squirmed and moved restlessly while the redhead intently explored her slender form, kissing her and touching her in a way that no other man had ever done to her. Periodically he would push himself against her, and while Matsuri was not entirely sure why he did that, she had no intentions of questioning his actions. She was willing to be with him now, and that was all that mattered.

His... male part... felt very hard against her much-softer region, she realized with a slight start, and briefly the girl wondered if he could... hurt her with it... But no. This was her Gaara-sensei, whom she had known for many years now. Not once had he harmed her before, and he never would in the present or future. She trusted him completely. She would put her life in his hands if he asked her to.

As her body writhed underneath his, Gaara slowly realized that she belonged to him. He knew the thought was conceited and probably disrespectful, but somehow, he didn't care at all. All that mattered at the moment was that she was here with him, letting him be with her, being much more than intended student and teacher should be.

His mind was clouded, but Gaara was still well aware of what would have to be done now that they had gone this far. But how could he go about doing it the painless way? This was Matsuri... Matsuri, whom he would never hurt if possible. Her trust was one of the most precious things to him... would this break her trust? Would she ever be able to look at him again?

Gaara remembered something Temari had told him, something he was grateful to remember. Slowly, his hand brushed over her stomach, fingering the waistband of her final barrier against him. He supposed lending her enough time to refuse could be used for another drawn-out kiss.

It had to be up to her. If she couldn't, he'd find a way to relieve himself. Would she have him? Would she still have this monster?


End file.
